The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S7O-00492

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, given that temporary footbridges over the A9 are often erected at Gleneagles for golf spectators, what consideration it has given to building a permanent footbridge to improve pedestrian access to the railway station for local residents.

Question reference: S7W-03542

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 6 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing to support (a) an ‘earn while you learn’ degree pathway for existing NHS ambulance staff to progress to become paramedics through an employer-supported training route while working and (b) a Technician-to-Paramedic pathway, involving the completion of a diploma with academic and vocational training, that enables staff to qualify as paramedics without leaving the service or their full-time role to undertake full-time study at one of the higher education institutions offering paramedic education.

In 2018, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) raised the threshold for paramedic registration to degree-level education. This change came into effect from September 2021 and now means individuals must successfully complete an approved degree programme to register as a paramedic. The two-year diploma route no longer exists.

The Scottish Government currently sets an intake target for paramedic education programmes at 335 Scottish domiciled students. A package of support for eligible students includes the annual £10,000 bursary as well as free tuition and funding for placement expenses – this includes travel and where appropriate accommodation expenses. Furthermore, uniforms, disclosure and health checks are also provided free of charge.

There is currently no Earn as You Learn route for technicians to become paramedics and therefore no dedicated funding is provided for this pathway. However, the Scottish Government provided £40,000 to the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to explore a technician-to-paramedic progression pathway. An initial business case was developed but SAS subsequently decided not to proceed at this time.

SAS continues to support ambulance technicians who wish to train as paramedics at university while remaining in employment, including through flexible working arrangements. Some universities may grant eligible technicians advanced entry to a degree course, subject to meeting specific university requirements.

Question reference: S7O-00334

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what process it followed in selecting SAMH to deliver its new network of mental health drop-in hubs, including how it took account of existing local provision, such as Hope Point at The Centre in Dundee and the original Neuk in Perth, when reaching its decision.

Question reference: S7W-02620

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reported proposal by Stirling Council to outsource its primary and nursery school meals provision, and, in light of reported concerns raised about a similar proposal by Perth and Kinross Council in 2019, whether it plans to have discussions with Stirling Council regarding the potential impact such a proposal could have on food quality and local employment prior to any contract being awarded.

Operational delivery of primary and nursery school meals is a matter for local authorities however they must adhere to legislation that protects the quality of food provided.

In Scotland, all food, drink, and meals served in schools must meet the nutritional standards set out in the Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020, regardless of whether the catering service is provided in-house or sub-contracted to an external provider. How those standards are achieved is a matter for each local authority taking into account local needs and circumstances.

Furthermore, under the provisions of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022, local authorities are under a statutory duty to consider the principles of sustainable development as they procure for school catering services, recognising the benefits of doing so to health, the environment and the local economy.

Question reference: S7W-01523

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that offers of charitable donations linked to requests for meetings with Scottish Ministers are compatible with the Ministerial Code, and what guidance is provided to ministers and officials on how they should respond when such offers are made.

The Scottish Ministerial Code sets out the standards expected of all members of the Scottish Ministerial team. Paragraph 3.22 of the Code notes that ‘…Ministers should not accept gifts, hospitality or services which would, or might appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an obligation to people or organisations that might try to influence their work in government.’ It is the personal responsibility of each Minister to determine how any activity would engage with the terms of the Code, based on the circumstances around any specific event or interaction.

Question reference: S7W-01730

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2026 and the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Act 2026 receiving Royal Assent in May 2026, what its timescale is for implementing the provisions of these Acts and for issuing the statutory guidance required to prohibit face-down prone restraint of children in secure accommodation.

The wellbeing and safety of children and young people is paramount. The Scottish Government is clear that restraint should only be used in exceptional circumstances, as a last resort, or when it is the only practicable means of securing the welfare or safety of the child or another person. The statutory guidance will reflect this.

Work is ongoing to plan next steps for implementation and timescales in relation to this important work and the Scottish Government will provide an update about this in due course.

The Scottish Government is funding the Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS), in partnership with the University of Strathclyde, to deliver the “Holding Differently – Containing Distress” project to strengthen the evidence base on efforts to reduce the use of physical restraint in residential child care services. Early findings from this project will inform work on the guidance.

Question reference: S7W-01728

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether housing girls placed for welfare reasons alongside older male offenders detained under criminal justice legislation is compatible with its obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

Question reference: S7W-01727

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many children are currently placed in each of Scotland's four secure accommodation centres on welfare grounds only, and in how many cases such children are accommodated within the same living unit as children detained under criminal justice legislation.

The population in secure care can change at least daily, due in part to the short-term nature of some placements, and in part due to an active approach towards minimising the time that children spend under a care regime that requires the deprivation of liberty. Real time data on the make-up of the population in secure that identifies the reasons for which they have been placed there is not held centrally.

All of Scotland’s secure accommodation services offer an integrated model of delivery, usually caring for children together regardless of the route via which they have been placed in secure accommodation. This is consistent with Scotland’s approach to The Promise, GIRFEC and the Kilbrandon ethos - namely that both children who have been offended against and children who have committed offences are all to be seen, understood, and responded to, as children in need. The Kilbrandon report states “in terms of the child's actual needs, the legal distinction between juvenile offenders and children in need of care or protection was-looking to the underlying realities-very often of little practical significance”. These matters were directly considered by Parliament during scrutiny of the Bills that became the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 and the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning (Scotland) Act 2026.

Question reference: S7W-01729

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of the disproportionate use of restraint of girls at St Mary's Kenmure, what the outcome has been of the Care Inspectorate and Mental Welfare Commission's 2025–26 shared visits to secure accommodation centres, and what action, if any, has been taken as a consequence.

St Mary's Kenmure was jointly inspected by the Care Inspectorate and Mental Welfare Commission in August 2025. The service was evaluated as 3 - adequate. St Mary’s Kenmure took immediate action to respond to the report’s four recommendations, within the timescales stipulated by the Care Inspectorate.

A follow-up unannounced inspection took place in March 2026 to examine progress. The inspection found that St Mary's had successfully met three of the four requirements. The fourth requirement would be further assessed at the next full inspection, this year.

Findings included:

The service had taken positive action to ensure the safety and security of young people and staff.
Staff were knowledgeable and confident regarding authorisation for restrictive practices.
The detail and quality of the information recorded within incident reports varied, and this would continue to be a focus of the next inspection.
The service demonstrated a comprehensive approach to staff recruitment.
Care planning documents were reflective of the individual needs of young people.
Young people's experiences could be evaluated through effective quality assurance systems

The full report from the most recent annual inspections at St Mary’s and the other three secure centres can be found on the Care Inspectorate website.

Question reference: S7W-01726

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that a 13-year-old girl accommodated at St Mary's Kenmure secure accommodation centre had her request to be transferred away from young male offenders with whom she was placed, denied, for what reason the request was denied and what risk assessment was undertaken in relation to her safety and wellbeing before that decision was made.

The Scottish Government had no role in, and does not hold any details of, this case. Plans, assessments and arrangements relating to the care of this child will have been reached directly between St Mary’s Kenmure and the placing authority in England.

More generally, the Scottish Government is not directly involved in the placement of any children into secure care on welfare grounds.

Secure accommodation services in Scotland are registered with the Care Inspectorate to care for boys and girls up to age 18 together. This approach has been in place for more than 10 years. Care Inspectorate placement guidance requires qualified professionals in secure centres to apply robust matching procedures – in consultation with placing authorities - to ensure the safety of any child under consideration for placement as well as the safety of all children already in a centre’s care. Whilst independent advocacy provision is in place in each centre, and children’s views are taken into account, placement decisions follow on from legal orders. The applicable arrangements for individual children remain with experts who consider the needs, vulnerabilities, risks and rights of each individual child and others within a unit.

When a child enters secure care, an assessment is completed which includes the child’s needs, strengths, hopes, vulnerabilities and risks. The child’s physical, mental, emotional and wellbeing and educational needs are assessed holistically as part of this process, which is also usually underpinned by information shared by the placing local authority.

Secure accommodation centres use a range of interventions, supports and strategies to meet the needs of all children placed there, ensuring that their safety is maintained and risk is managed. Risk assessment and risk management frameworks allow for decisions about the level of care, supervision, and restrictions on a child to be proportionate, individual and tailored to the needs of the child.

These arrangements enable appropriate account to be taken of the needs of all children, to ensure compliance with all of their applicable legal rights, including under the Equality Act 2010.

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Question reference: S7O-00492

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